The Golden Tree Vision

What do we plan to do?

Students who are academically unchallenged, quirky, ostracized, outcast,
bullied, unappreciated, don't fit in, or just ignored in traditional school
settings can affect everything from grades to metal health.
We seek to develop a small, safe, and caring junior boarding
school which has a focus on social and emotional development
for these and other students.
A maximum of 32 fourth through eighth grade* students will ensure
exceptional instruction, attention, and care are given to each student.

What type of student is best served by Golden Tree?

Our program should appeal to a wide variety of children of above average
to gifted intelligence.
While not a requisite, our small junior boarding school environment is especially
beneficial for fourth through eighth graders that have struggled in traditional
academic settings. These struggles may have been precipitated by, for example,
negative feedback from peers or teachers, an inability to self-advocate,
a high intelligence coupled with poor academic performance, a general
feeling of not fitting in or being different than other students,
unsupported LGBTQ identification, or social anxiety disorder.
Some of these students may have been labeled as weak, nerdy, quirky,
free-spirited, etc., experienced a lack of empathy from peers and teachers,
or have experienced bullying in other environments.
Students with mild ADD/ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome,
or learning disabilities may also benefit from our small program.
We are not appropriate for students with extreme behavioral or emotional issues,
or who would otherwise benefit from a therapeutic setting.

How will we help our students?

As a school program,
we will strive to provide a strong and challenging academic program
that goes beyond what one will find in traditional programs.
Social and emotional skills will be enhanced via interaction with
peers and staff throughout the day, evening, and weekends, along
with all-school activities and drama/video productions.
Non-competitive, kinesthetic games and activities,
such as those found in summer camp programs, will further enhance
the child's confidence and
social skills while also developing the child's physical skills.

The predominate culture of the school will also help students.
As a junior boarding program that has an enhanced focus on social and emotional development,
children live and work along side other students that have similar social
idiosyncrasies, personalities, and interests. It is hoped that through
this environment, a loving and caring culture that allows all members
of the community to be themselves, without fear of rejection, will form.
In addition, the similarities amongst the students are likely to promote strong bonds
and the formation of life-long friendships.

How do we plan to achieve our vision?

This is the million dollar question. We're still working on this one!
We could go with the "If you build it, they will come" philosophy, but
as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, we'd feel more secure
with additional financial and personal resources that could guarantee
success for the first few years of operation.
Developing a network of individuals who also share our vision and are willing
to help us see it to fruition is also required. If you would like to serve
as a resource, or have contacts with individuals or organizations that
would beneficial resources, please contact us via
the form on our site home page. Learn more about
our background and needs here.